At First Minister’s Questions on the 12 December 2024, Liz Smith CBE MSP asked the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with local authorities regarding the reported impending closure of library facilities across Scotland.
The exchange between Liz Smith and John Swinney can be watched here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/meeting-of-the-parliament-december-12-2024?clip_start=12:31:08&clip_end=12:34:41
The question follows the news of the upcoming closure of five libraries across Perth and Kinross: namely, Comrie, Auchterarder, Scone, Birnam and Alyth. The decision by Culture Perth and Kinross has sparked an outcry from residents who value the importance of these local facilities.
Commenting, Liz Smith said:
“My mailbox has been full of constituents who are very concerned about the impact of library closures. The affected communities clearly want these facilities to remain open and that is why I sought to raise this matter in Holyrood. This is particularly the case following the announcement that Perth and Kinross Council intend to hike council tax by 10%.”
“We know how important libraries are, both educationally and socially. Especially in rural towns, they fulfil the role of social hubs and are critical for tackling economic and regional inequalities.”
“I would like to thank the excellent work of the local campaign groups who raised the profile of this issue as even many frequent library users were unaware of the closures because a proper consultation process was not undertaken.”
